Past Life
by Dark Star Eyes
Summary: MORE COMMING SOON. I am a girl from the present who has lost everything. Now I am transported to the past, can I survive at all? Maybe I can find the peace I seek. InuKag OR Kik, won't tell yet. MirSan. Others. Guess in review if you like.
1. On the Run

Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own Inu and gang or the show, only this idea and this character, whose POV the story is often told from.

To anyone who read my stuff and gave up on me, I am SO SORY, words cannot express. Work, life, college, but it is no excuse. With luck, all my stories will be updated inside the next two weeks.

I jogged through the woods, hands resting on the hilts of my swords to keep them from making noise in their sheaths. After over a week on the run, I had gotten better at keeping this pace for a time. The moonlight was my only illumination, and I preferred it that way. Safer to run at night, my father had always said. Remembering who had taught me brought tears to my eyes as I remembered how I had left my parents. Their bodies broken by a rain of bullets as we tried to escape. I still wasn't sure what happened, I had blacked out when my mother fell, when I came to, the bodies of the men who had been pursuing us lay around me, my swords covered in blood. I had buried my parents and left the bodies of the men for whom or whatever. Gathering the supplies I could in the time I felt I had, which wasn't much, I ran. Three pairs of jeans and shirts, several bottles of water, a pot to boil more in, and my cd player were stuffed in my backpack, with a sleeping bag rolled tightly and tied on top. Pausing, I scavenged some K-rations and beef jerky from the bodies of the agents. Since we were only a few miles outside of town, the highway was the easiest way to move fast, so I drove north until I ran out of gas and went on foot from there. Unable to figure out anything else, I was headed to central Iowa, and I was almost there, only a few hours more travel to go.

My great-grandfather's farm was depressing, like I needed more of that. The house my father grew up in was falling in upon itself, the roof sagging low into the kitchen. Somehow, the old barn was standing, the door hanging open like a gaping maw. I slipped inside, staring at the empty stalls and barn loft, years empty. I was so busy scanning the area, in fact, I didn't see the edge of the well in front of me as I stepped forward. My right toe caught the lip of the wooden edging and I fell. _What a stupid way to die._ I cursed one last time before I slammed my eyes shut and a blue light overtook me.

interlude

"Oswari!"

A crash was heard, followed by loud cursing.

"I'm going home, Inuyasha-baka, and that's final!"

"We have more shards to find!" The hanyou growled into the dirt as Kagome walked away from him, followed by the rest of the group. How he hated that damnable subduing spell!

After a moment I opened my eyes, shocked I had felt no impact. I found myself kneeling in the bottom of a, surprise, well, backpack and swords still strapped to me. Looking up, I was confused to find clear sky above me instead of the barn rafters. An ivy vine caught my eye and I began to test my weight on it, but stopped short when I heard voices approaching. My right hand went to the red hilt on my hip. They would just shoot me if I was lucky, but I would die with my sword in my hand. Silent, I waited and listened to the approaching people.

"I'm only going home for a few days!" Female voice, sounded annoyed, filled with strained patience, but young, too young to be an agent, maybe no older than I.

"NO, we need to keep hunting!" Male, insistent, but young as well, though the use of the word, "hunting" made me wary.

"Inuyasha…" Same female voice, clear warning in it.

"No, wench, I mean it!" Clueless, stubborn male.

"Oswari!" An impressive thud followed the female shout.

"He never learns." Female voice number two, tolerant, almost bored, with a faint edge of amusement. A little older sounding than number one.

"Nope." Male number two, bored as well, maybe the sasme age as the other, still not an old voice.

A moment a loud SMACK was heard. "Hentai!" Angry and annoyed tone now for Female Two.

"Looks like Inuyasha-baka isn't the only one who doesn't learn, Miroku-kun." Male number three sounded much younger, a child's voice, and highly amused. It was swiftly followed by a mewing noise, probably a cat.

All right, enough of this, if I was going to die or get help, either was I was tired of standing in this damn well. Besides, they were speaking a dialect of Japanese my parents had taught me as a child, unlikely to be anyone after me. I hadn't heard of any such units, anyway. "Hey, can someone give me a hand?"

Dead silence for a moment before a girl poked her head over the edge of the well. She had black hair and pale skin, looked to be about twenty or so, like me. "Who are you?" Ah, this was Female One.

"Name's Ami." I was getting a crick in my neck from looking up. "Any chance I can get a hand outta here?"

Another head poked over the edge of the well beside the girl. He had black hair tied back in a rat-tail style, and what looked to be like a purple sash over one shoulder on top of a black something. "How did you come to be down there?" Male Two identified.

"No clue. Fell down an abandoned well in my great-grandfather's barn. Looked up and saw blue sky, so you tell me and we'll both know."

The girl's eyes widened. "What year is it?" Male Two shot her a look and I looked at her like she was nuts.

"Two thousand five."

Now I was on the receiving end of two wide eyed stares from the top, no, make it three as another girl's head appeared over the edge. The first girl suddenly grinned in excitement. Mood swings much? "You're from my time!"

'_My time!'_

"Inuyasha-kun, go help her out!" Female One was looking over her shoulder at this "Inuyasha" I now assumed was Male One. "Come on, quit sulking, or I'll say it again!"

A red and white blur was over the edge of the well and beside me in a flash. I yelped and jumped back, my sword sliding an inch out of its sheath. This guy had white hair despite his young features, and little dog ears rested on top of his head. I swear, he actually sniffed at me, his golden eyes narrowed. Okay, weird. "Fine, get on." He turned and squatted, his red clothed back to me.

I blinked, not in the habit of getting on the back of strange men, or any men for that matter, not literally. "And how, exactly, are you going to climb out of here with a twenty year old girl, two extra swords, and a heavy pack on your back?"

He tossed a look of disdain over his shoulder. "Keh. Just get on."

Hey, if he was on a macho kick, who was I to stop him? His broken back, not mine. I rolled my eyes and shrugged, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. To my surprise, he promptly reached back and grabbed my legs so I was practically straddling his back and then he leapt UP. Soon as his feet touched grass I tumbled off with a clatter as my pack, swords, and butt met the earth, painfully. I stared at his for a breathless moment. "If you ever, EVER, do that again without warning, you are gonna have a wet spot on your back, CLEAR?" Okay, no need to shout, not much at least.

A light touch on my shoulder made my crane my neck back.

"Sorry, he just isn't too polite. I'm Kagome Higurashi."

Standing, I realized we were almost the same height. "Ami. Just Ami." I resettled my pack and swords, relaxing my guard a bit. "Where the hell am I?"

"Japan, about five hundred years in the past."

I smiled and looked up, all prepared to laugh until I saw her face, and she looked deadly serious. _Oh shit_. For probably the first time in my life, I was shocked speechless.

Taking pity on me, she moved back slightly and gave me some breathing space before introducing the rest of the group. "The woman over there is Sango-chan, a taiyja."

I managed a shaky smile and nodded acknowledgment at the exterminator.

"On her shoulder is her friend and companion, the neko youkai Kirara."

_Youkai!_

The little orange ball of fur with two tails mewed at me and I just had to smile, it was just so cute!

"Over there," Kagome motioned to the man who had looked into the well. "Is out friend Miroku-kun, a houshi and a hentai, watch where you stand."

Miroku placed his hand on his chest and approached, a wounded look on his face. "Kagome-sama, your words injure me." He knelt in front of me, and, I have to admit, he was cute, even though I saw Sango begin a slow boil as he took my hands in his and I felt a blush rise. "Would you do me the honor of bearing my child?" Well, he rui9ned that.

Kagome sighed and shook her head in resignation as Sango let her gigantic weapon fall on Miroku's head. "He really is a nice guy at heart, just too…hormonal."

A child stepped out from behind Sango and walked over to Kagome, standing close by her side. "This," Kagome announced, looking down and ruffling the young boys hair playfully, "is my son, Shippo."

He had to be ten, and that just wasn't right if she was twenty. Seeing my look, she quickly adjusted her statement. "Adopted. He's a kitsune youkai."

Again, I gave a nod of respect, knowing how I hated being patronized at that age.

Hooking a finger at the gigantic tree behind her, she indicated the red clothed figure in the branches, glaring down. "That's Inuyasha-kun. Don't mind him, he doesan't mean anything by it, he's just naturally cranky."

"Am not!" Oh yeah, mature too.

"What kind of youkai is he with those ears?" The comment earned me a snarl from the object of my curiosity.

"Hanyou, not youkai. Half inu youkai." Kagome looked uncomfortable. "He doesn't like to talk about it.

"Right…." My voice trailed off as I looked around the clearing, still in shock, but definitely relaxing.

"Well, I was just headed home, let's see if we can't get you back too." Kagome's voice was like a ice down my spine with that idea.

Panic returned to me. "No!" I stepped quickly away from the well. "No, please, don't make me go back!"

The others seemed to startle and tense at my outburst. Miroku cautiously asked me the burning question. "Why not?"

I sat down hard, not feeling the pain shoot up my back as my eyes glazed. My current situation was forgotten as I once again remembered the events leading up to my flight to the farm and its non-existent refuge.


	2. Why I Won't Go Back

I only own the character whose view this is told from and her family members. All other standard disclaimers apply. PLEASE REVIEW. This is actually for a class and I need all the constructive criticism I can get before finals on Thursday. And before anyone asks, the whole beliefs thing was actually inspired by the events in the new SW movie, again, not mine!

My voice was quiet as I began my story. "In America, laws were passed lately, regulating how people lived their lives, including religion." Kagome's shocked eyes barely registered. "It is an illegal law by our country's Constitution, but no one dares challenge it, they don't want to be next, to be 'unpatriotic.'" I laughed bitterly. "For an imagined security, people will give up much, especially other people. Since we wouldn't give up our beliefs, my family and I became outlaws. A week ago…" my breath hitched. "A week ago they came for us.

"My father tried to protect us, my mother and I, but he only could hold them a moment before they shot him down, killed him. He lay there like a puppet with its strings cut. I tried to get my mother to leave, to move faster, but a marksman, sniper, got her as we ran. After she dropped beside me, everything just stopped. I felt such rage, grief, my whole family dead in seconds. I must have blacked out, because the next thing I remember is looking down on those who killed my parents, my swords and I were bathed in their blood. I don't know what happened, or how. I buried my parents, took what I could, and ran. We had been preparing to leave, so I took my supplies and left." Tears slipped down my face as I flashback on my parents. "I was preparing to wait for them to find me and die in battle. Please, please, don't make me go back."

Eyes closed, I tried to hold back tears, tired of crying. After a moment, I felt an arm settle around my shoulders. Cracking a full eye, I saw Kagome sitting beside me, not saying a word, just being there. A hand settled on my left shoulder and I glanced over. Sango knelt beside me, looking in my eyes. "I lost my family some years ago, I know your pain. I will not send you back."

"Nor I." Miroku knelt in front of me. Somehow, I honestly felt sheltered between the three of them. Slowly I calmed as I relaxed again, even managing to let Shippo gently take my hand in a comforting manner.

"Ami-chan?" Kagome drew my attention. "Do you know any magic or spells or the like?"

I looked at her oddly a moment, mentally switching gears before shaking my head in the negative.

"When you became upset, an aura of magic flared then gradually subsided as you calmed." Miroku watched my face closely as he said this.

"Sorry, Miroku-kun, I can't help you, I don't know anything about that stuff."

"It's okay, Ami-chan." Sango rose gracefully. "Kaede-baachan will know what's going on."

"Come on, Ami-chan." Kagome was already near the tree line. "I'll stay one more day to help you settle in."

"Arigato."

Inuyasha brought up the tail end of the group as we walked to Kaede's, whoever that is. He kept sniffing behind me until I purposely stepped to one side, forcing him to either follow or stop. He stopped, but I had totally forgotten what Kagome said about Miroku, who was now directly behind me.

A village had just come into view when SOMETHING grabbed my ass. Instinct honed by three years of college with horny football and baseball players instantly kicked in as I stopped short, slamming my elbow back into the gut of the person behind me. As they bent over, I leaned back, catching their chin on my shoulder and looping my arms over their shoulders, hauling them forward, up, and over to land at my feet on their back. My fist was already raised and cocked to fly before I realized this was not college or the boys that had molested me so many times. I stopped with my fist inches from Miroku's nose.

Miroku's stunned eyes stared up at me. Kagome and Sango started laughing after a moment of silence, nearly doubling over as Inuyasha and Shippo merely shook their heads in disgust. Kirara looked from Miroku to me and sneezed as if saying he deserved it before turning to continue on.

My hands were shaking in front of me as I fought to keep my voice of the rage and fear warring within me. "Please, Miroku-kun," my voice strained, "PLEASE, never do that again."

"Child, are ye well?"

An older woman had come up behind a now concerned Kagome and Sango. Guess I had not controlled my voice enough. Rotating my shoulders to ease the sudden tension in them, I shook my head in confusion. I was breathing hard, shaking, but not from exertion. "Will be, just brought up bad memories I think."

"Ami-chan." Sango's voice gave me some grounding, a focus. "This is Kaede-baachan."

I bowed in respect to the older miko. "Kaede-sama."

She seemed to stare into my eyes for a moment, her eyes softening. When her hand touched the skin of my arm she looked shocked, even stunned before she gripped my wrist firmly and drew me behind her as she strode towards the village. "Come, I think we have much to talk of, child."

On the way to Kaede's hut the rest of the group related my story to the elder miko. I was highly subdued, ashamed of my lack of control. When we were comfortable seated inside, her questions began.

"Ami-chan, when Miroku-kun touched you, what came to mind?"

"College." Silence and confused looks from everyone but Kagome. Guess I should go on. "A team of boys there thought they owned the place."

Kagome gave me a suspicious look. "American football?"

I nodded slowly. "And a few baseball players. In any event, several of them seemed to think they were irresistible, could have any girl they wanted. I avoided them, but they eventually came looking. I'm not too pretty, but I was single and female." My chin dropped to my chest, eyes covered by my dark brown hair. "They didn't have many standards. I was relaxing a little, doing a kata on one of the school fields in the early evening when they found me. Told me what they wanted, one tried to grab me. I told them to go to hell and sit on a hot coal until it snowed." The comment earned me a few light chuckles from Kagome and Sango, but Miroku looked almost guilty while Inuyasha had a look of disgust on his face. Can't say I blame him. "As you can guess, they didn't take it kindly. Seven of them with a couple bats among them. I got my licks in, but once I was clipped in the head and lost my balance, it was over. Unarmed, outnumbered, and they each outweighed me by at least seventy-five pounds, so I never had a real chance, not when they hit me from behind. Beat me good. One of them used his pocket knife to cut my back open, a scar to 'remember them.'" Putting my back to them, I pulled the hem of my shirt up slightly, showing the mass of scar tissue. "It goes up to my mid back." Facing them again, I continued. "Sorry I reacted like that, Miroku-sama, but when I felt you, I just felt them." My head dropped back down in shame. "It's no wonder you were disgusted with me, not able to take care of myself."

"There is no shame in losing a fight, not if you truly tried to win, and you did, you have no dishonor." I think we all were staring at Inuyasha when he finished that statement. I mean, even I had figured from the time I had known him he was not the most sensitive person, and their looks confirmed it. Must be really unusual for him to be sensitive or deep from their expressions. Note this for future reference.

Only Kaede seemed to not be overly fazed by his words, still focused on me. "Your aura flared as ye reacted to the houshi."

I gave her a puzzled look. "I know what aura is, but it flaring means…?"

Kagome jumped in. "Emotions cause the natural energy and strength of a person, read aura, to flare or weaken as the situation dictates. Each time you became upset, your aura increased, then it just stopped, like it reached some kind of limit."

"Subdued." Kaede's voice was sure. "Concealed as well."

"Huh?" My, didn't I sound intelligent.

"Just get to the point, Old Woman." Well, at least I sounded far more intelligent than Inuyasha.

Kaede gave him a tolerant, if annoyed, look. "This girl could well be a miko, hanyou, or even youkai and no one would ever know until the spell is removed."

Inuyasha was on his feet, his hand on the sword at his waist, half drawing what looked like a rusty old katanna. "So who are you? A spy for Naraku!"

I rose quickly to one knee as he growled a warning. Leaning away from him, I rested my hand on my sword at my right, ready to pull at any time. "A spy from who? Don't you dare presume to call me a liar, Inuyasha-baka. MY honor means a little something to me."

He snarled and I could barely see him move, he was that fast. I knew I couldn't fight with that, but damned if I wasn't going to try.

"OSWARI!"

Inuyasha crashed to the ground, twitching and cursing. Poor Kaede, she now had an Inuyasha shaped crater in her hut. I wouldn't want to see his imprint all the time.

"I don't think she's lying, Inuyasha." I still didn't get that Kagome girl. She had almost casually made him face vault a foot in the ground, and now she was nonchalantly explaining why. "She doesn't feel deceitful or evil."

"Agreed, she doesn't strike me as the type." Thank you, Sango.

Miroku even chimed in on my behalf, though I didn't know why, not after how I had treated him. "Think, Inuyasha. If she had been trying to infiltrate our band, I don't think she would have tossed me around like a sock of rice. Wouldn't she try for more goodwill?"

"Really, Inuyasha, you need to think before you leap." That Shippo was really a cute kid. Big mouthed and more sarcastic than I was at that age, but cute.

Still grumbling, Inuyasha climbed out of his hole and back to his seat by Kagome. "Fine. She won't go home, what will she do?"

You know, I really hate it when people discuss me like I'm not in the room, it's a major pet peeve of mine. "I am SITTING RIGHT HERE, you could just ASK." His hostile golden eyes locked on mine.

"She could stay and help the village."

I appreciated Kaede's offer, but…it just didn't feel right. "Domo arigato, Kaede-sama, but I don't want to just stay in one place. For a couple days, sure, however, I need to think this out, and explore this new time. I can do both best when on the move." Remembering the discussion I had overheard earlier, something about searching for jewel shards. A search necessitated movement, and usually travel. I turned quietly to face the others. "Could I come with your group?"

Inuyasha almost visibly geared up to deliver a not only no, but HELL no answer before the others headed him off almost all at once, Miroku's comment only beating Sango and Kagome's by about half a second.

"Of course."

"We can always use another fighter."

"Can I bring you anything from the future?"

You know, maybe, just maybe, I could get along here. Smiling in a bit of embarrassment and thankfulness, I carefully reached into my backpack and withdrew the dead CD player and carrier. "Any chance I could get some double A batteries?"

"No problem." Kagome rose to her feet with a grace I wish I had. "Its getting dark though, I have to go or Okaa-san will get worried."

She had almost reached the door before a thought crossed my mind. "Gah, I am such a baka!" Inuyasha opened his mouth and I leveled a finger at him in warning. "Don't say it, Inu-koro." Turning, I dived into my backpack again. "I know it's here!"

"What are you searching for, Ami-san?" Whatever else you said about Miroku, he did have a nice voice, comforting even.

"Just a li- got it!" I yanked my arm back out of the pack, fist clenched around a greenish bundle and two plastic cards between my fingers. "Here, Kagome, take this, I can't use it here."

She stared in awe as I dropped the wad into her hands. "Ami-chan, there must be over three hundred U.S. dollars here, and two credit cards!"

"Use the money for whatever we need, and the cards too. Use the cards first though, they will likely be cut off soon, my family outlawed and all. Should be about two thousand on the blue-ish one and about five on the other." I had never signed the cards, so no problems. Worse comes to worse, they go down as stolen and Kagome can leave all the stuff in this era. "Oh, and some Rod Stewart CDs and Michael Buble would be nice to."

She stared at me, wide eyed. "Are you sure, Ami-chan?"

"More than. I can't use it anymore. Besides, can you imagine some poop archeologist digging around here in the future and finding a five hundred year old visa?"

That drew a chuckle from her as she left the hut. We all filed out after her and saw her to the well. Down she went, the blue flash followed, and she was gone. Miroku was following Sango and Shippo back to the village when I turned, falling into step behind him and catching the suspicious glare Inuyasha was still casting at me. Fine, he wants proof. I can do that.

"Wait." They all turned to look at me, Inuyasha the only exception as he had been staring at me already.

"Domo arigato for helping me, accepting me. My parents raised me to value such honor, and such people." My left hand drew the sword on my right hip, the red grip of the hilt catching the sunset. I calmly wrapped my right hand around the blade, resting the razor edge against my palm. "As such, I swear a blood oath of loyalty." I clenched my hand slightly, feeling the cold steel bite into my hand before drawing my hand back, showing my blood dripping slowly out of the cut. "Your battles are now mine. Your allies, mine. Your fate, mine." As Miroku quickly grabbed a piece of cloth to bandage my hand and Inuyasha walked away mollified, I stooped and wiped m y blood from the gleaming metal onto the grass before resheathing the sword of my father. My path was set.


	3. Getting Acquainted

Same disclaimer as always. Only thing I own is the character whose POV this is told from. Don't own Inuyasha or Co.. Darn it.

I want to thank my reviewers, they mean a lot. Keep em coming and I will try to keep this going. After this week I will try to post at least once a week on all my fics. College ends this week, YEAH!

CHAPTER 3: GETTING ACQUAINTED

After my little display, Inuyasha took up a position in Goshinboku, on his usual branch I was told. The rest of us returned to the village. As Sango, Kirara and Miroku left to do whatever around the village, I was left alone to absorb my predicament. I chose to return to the edge of the woods, stopping just inside the tree line. There I planted my back against the rough bark of a tree and watched the people go about their lives. A few days and we would leave I was told. Relax, try to adjust they said. Hah. Everything I loved was taken from me, I am a stranger in a place and time I know little of. Yeah, and the doctors had called me chronically depressed a few years ago. If they only knew.

"You okay, Ami-san?" My focus dropped the introspection I had been engaging in and returned to the here and now, and I wasn't too surprised to find myself looking into green eyes topped by red hair and sided by pointed ears. Green eyes that were looking at me with concern.

"I will be, Shippo-kun. In time."

His young face turned sympathetic and shadowed by sadness. "It takes a long time, I know." The kitsune promptly sat beside me, gazing into the distance as I had been only moments ago. "My family was killed too."

I gave him a sharp, startled look, but said nothing, letting him tell me as much or as little as he wanted.

"My father tried to protect me, too. They skinned him." His voice surprised me, not much emotion to it. "I was very young then, to small to fight, but I tried. I tried to get some jewel shards from Okaa-san and Inu-baka, but they caught me. They helped me, and killed the Thunder Brothers, the youkai who had slaughtered my family." Shippo looked over at me then, the solemn expression out of place on his cherubic face. "The pain is always there, but over time it gets better. You start to see your lives together instead of their deaths, and it gets bearable."

Smiling, albeit sadly, at him, I gently tousled his hair. He looked to be about ten or son, and I remembered liking that kind of thing at that age. He seemed pleased by the attention, his face losing some of the pain it had held. "Tell you what, Shippo-kun." I shifted to look at him, making firm eye contact. I wasn't joking, and this was an offer not to be given or taken lightly. "I never had a brother, and just maybe we can help each other with our pain. So, how about, since we both lost a family, we adopt each other? I know Kagome-chan is like your okaa-san, but, if you want, I could use a little brother."

His face seemed to gleam. "I've never had a sister."

"Funny, I never had a brother." I made the effort of a half-smile, and just barely made it. "Well, then." A deep sigh accompanied my rising to my feet, taking his statement as acceptance and moving on to the next issue. My swords were returned to my sides from the grass I had laid them on while I had been thinking. Blue fastened lower on my left and red about an inch higher on my right hip.

Inquisitive kit he was, Shippo had to ask. "Where did you get those?"

"These," I began, pulling the left sword out with my right hand and vise versa in a classic cross draw, "were gifts from my parents. They were made in a single forging I am told, and bound to each other and to my blood the day I was born. This blue one is Nettou, the red is Okibi." I absently twirled the swords in my hands. "My father once said they would save my life. Apparently not my family though." My expressing was bitter as I slid the blades home in their sheaths. "Come, Shippo-kun, let's go find Sango-chan."

Not more than three seconds later a loud SMACK was heard echoing from the village followed by a declaration of "HENTAI!" Well, guess it wouldn't be hard to track down Sango AND Miroku.

"Sango-chan?"

My voice drew her attention from the still twitching monk at her feet, a large bump on his head and a flaming red hand print on his face. "Hai, Ami-chan?"

"Would you mind a little light sparring with me? Please?"

She looked confused, but open to the idea. "Why?"

My hands rested comfortably on the hilts of my swords. "When my father gave me these swords, he trained me to fight with them, but I have no idea how those skills will hold out against a fighter of this era. As you are a tayjia, I know of no one better to measure a skill against."

She blinked at me in surprise once before shrugging. "Sure. Meet me in the clearing near the forest in a few minutes, I need to change out of this kimono."

I nodded as she ducked into Kaede's hut. Glancing down at Shippo, still at my side, I got an idea. "Shippo-kun, could you take care of Miroku? When he comes to, I want both of you to watch Sango and I spar. I want you to know what I am capable of in battle before we leave, so you can know if you can depend on me or not. Not to mention, I would love any suggestions you have." A growl at my feet drew my attention lower. "You too, Kirara-san, I need the advice of a veteran."

Minutes later, Sango and I were facing each other in the clearing I had been staring at no more than a quarter hour ago. Shippo, Kirara, a now conscious Miroku, and even Inuyasha sat on the edge of the tree line, easily able to see, but far enough away to stay out of danger. I bowed respectfully to Sango, right hand resting easily on the red hilt, loosely, ready. She nodded respectfully to me, drawing her own katanna and tonto blades. Taking my queue, I likewise drew my swords, but straight out in an underhanded grip. The result was the blunt edge of the blades pressed against the backs of my arms, the razor edge out. I struck a basic defensive posture, left arm straight in front of my body in a guard, right arm bent at a right angle and held tight in against my body. With my body turned slightly to the side, my left arm was held directly between myself and Sango, and with my right arm bent at the angle it was, over a foot of blade pointed parallel to my body, perpendicular to my guard, excellent position for a counter strike. It was my father's fighting style, Slicing Arm.

"Ready?"

I gave a brisk nod to Sango's question and she charged. The first exchange was swift and brief, more of a test than anything. Her attack, my block with Nettou, counter with Okibi, her block, and both of us took a small jump away from the other. Measure had been taken on both sides. She was a seasoned expert, but I was no rank amateur. Beginning to circle, we got serious. Attack, dodge, recoil, counterattack, guard, block, break. My attack, blocked by her tonto, a counter with her katanna, she pressed her full weight against my blocking arm. With a heave I parried her sword and backed up for some time. I knew she was getting used to my style, getting a feel for it. Dad's style of fighting was excellent, for him. However, it was made explicitly for close combat, and I had a reach far too short to do that efficiently for more than a short time. Realizing that the surprise my style had had only been a short-lived advantage, I suddenly flipped Okibi over in my hand, holding it in a traditional, single-hand grip. Once again I resumed my first guard position, but instead of my right sword pointing behind me, I held it in a high guard, the blade held just over my head, the curvature of the metal seemed to match that of my shoulders. Sango shifted her stance slightly, and we began again.

Five more minutes of fighting and Okibi soared from my hand as Nettou was too slow to block her katanna. I wound up with the tip of her sword about an inch from my throat. Dropping Nettou, I dramatically fell backwards, panting from exertion. "Damn." My head rolled to the side as Sango dropped heaving to the ground beside me, and I was mildly gratified that she didn't look much better than I did. "Good…workout." She nodded, both of us too out of breath to say much for a several moments.

"You are…one of…the best…I ever… faced." I couldn't even get enough air to thank her for the compliment.

The gang reached us just as we had been able to take one or two deep breaths. The sun on the horizon was suddenly blotted out by red hair and concerned green eyes. "You okay, Ami-chan?"

"Oh, yeah." I sat up slowly, shaking my head. "Just great."

"I have never seen someone go so long against Sango-san." Miroku looked me over appraisingly with this statement, and I swear I almost blushed, and not because he was being perverted, because it wasn't that kind of look. More like I was grateful he accepted me as a fighter. A "mew" from Kirara showed she agreed as she rubbed herself against my leg.

"Keh." Inuyasha stood over us, arms crossed and his hands hidden in his haori. "Guess you won't be totally useless."

I gave him a filthy look before accepting Miroku's proffered hand to help me up. Kaede had offered for me to sleep in her hut, along with the rest of the group, with the exception of Inuyasha, who apparently slept in trees. Sorry, but that sounded uncomfortable. A short soak in the local hots prings to rinse off the abundant sweat I had worked up during our sparring match and I was more than ready for sleep. The last thing I remember before dosing off on the floor of the hut was a feeling of security, that I was safe with these people.

I slept in the next day, the sun was high in sky before I finally drug myself to consciousness. I went to explore while the others did their own duties around the village. As I met the villagers and helped out where I could, I learned about my new companions. Between helping chop firewood and bringing back water from those hot springs, I learned the why behind each person, why they endangered their lives daily to hunt this jewel and Naraku. Miroku, hunting Naraku to end his family curse and avenge his father and grandfather. Sango was after Naraku because he enslaved her younger brother with a corrupted shard of the jewel and forced him to slaughter their entire village. The Thunder Brothers that had slaughtered Shippo's parents had possessed jewel shards, he was out to be sure no one else was hurt like he had been. Kagome had been the one to accidentally shatter the blasted Tama in the first place, and she was one of the only two who could sense the shards and purify them. Inuyasha's story was equal parts tragic and stupidity. He wanted the Shikon no Tama for himself, all so he could wish to become a full demon. Adding insult to injury, Naraku, who, come to find out, was also seeking the shards, had also caused Kikyo, Inuyasha's first love, and Inuyasha to turn on each other, resulting in her death and his forced hibernation for fifty years until Kagome freed him. Payback for that one's gonna be a bitch.

Snagging some free time in the afternoon, I finally decided Shippo had the most objective, or at least informative, view on each enemy we faced, and he was more than happy to give me the rundown on each of them. Out of the mouths of babes indeed.

Naraku, once Onigumo, was a hanyou that had been born human. Onigumo had allowed his soul and body to be devoured by hundreds of demons, forming them all into the being known as Naraku. All that because he was jealous of Kikyo and Inuyasha and wanted the miko Kikyo for himself. Ironic, especially considering his first course of action as Naraku had been to turn Kikyo and Inuyasha against each other, resulting in her death. In the past five years he had gathered several times the number of shards the group had, and had thus grown stronger. His power included the ability to spawn incarnations of himself, including the Kagura and Kanna, wind and void youkai respectively.

Second on "Shippo's Most Wanted" list was Kikyo herself. Something of a shocker since he had said minutes ago she was dead. Made basically of ash and dirt, she was brought back to life by the witch Urase. The witch was long dead, but Kikyo, the "clay pot" miko still lived, er, existed, whatever. Now she was intent on dragging Inuyasha to hell with her and/or regaining her full soul by killing Kagome, who just happened to be her reincarnation. Lovely girl. And Inuyasha still carried a torch for her? Geesh, he was dumber than I thought.

Kouga seemed more ambiguous. Originally they had caught his wolves slaughtering humans, then he kidnapped Kagome because she could see the jewel shards. Real charmer, eh? Kagome, being the magnet she seems to be for males, was evidently around him enough for him to fall for her. Now, if Kagome is in danger, he tends to help out, often followed by his two best friends, Ginta and Hakkaku. Inuyasha hates his guts, though he vigorously denies being jealous of him, contrary to popular opinion. Funny, he can go do Kami only knows what with the "clay pot," but Kouga flirts with Kagome and he flies off the handle, humn. Fascinating.

Finally was Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's older brother. A full-blooded inu-youkai, he was in fact the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands. At first he had tried to steal Inuyasha's sword, the Tetseiga, a powerful weapon made from the fang of their father. In his opinion, a hanyou was unworthy to wield such a gift, brother or no. One of the swords he carried was the Tenseiga, twin to the Tetseiga. But where Tetseiga could slay over a hundred in a single swing, the Tenseiga healed, and required a compassionate heart to use it. Not surprisingly, from what I was told, he was less than impressed with his inheritance. Failing to get the sword, he resorted to simply wishing to kill his brother. What was odd about this entire story was that when Inuyasha had once turned into a feral youkai, wild and out for only blood, Sesshoumaru had used his other sword, Tokijin, a sword on par with Tetseiga for destructive power, only to stop the rampage, not to kill Inuyasha when he had every chance. Again, ambiguous. Joy. Anyone else getting a migraine from all this?


	4. Notice and Request

On Sunday, June 12, my grandfather passed away. His name was Rolland and he was 90 years old. For at least a week I will not be posting to anything. Prayers and wishes are warmly welcomed, especially any comments to my mother, his only child, and my grandmother, his wife of fifty-eight years. Any such wishes can be e-mailed or left on-site.

Thanks for your understanding, and also for any words to my family and I. My e-mail is on file here and feel free to leave anything as a review as well, I will be sure to give it to my family.

Again, thank you for your understanding and care.

StarEye1701


End file.
